Catalytic heating apparatus



. Nov. 23 1925. 1,608,388

J. GRITTE CATALYTIC HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 11. 1926 imewas v flu g mp WWW '45 the inner wall of the same;

Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GRITTE. or Lyon, rnalvcnfinssrenoa T socrnrn LYONNATSE, DES nncnauns 'CATALYTIQUES, SOCIETE ANONYME, or REZONE, FRANCE;

CATALYTIC HEATING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 11, 1926, Serial No. 115,362, and in France June 8, 1325.

The catalytic heating apparatus used until this day, comprises one or more cylindrical wicks, having such adianieter that the intensity of distillation-remains lower than the catalytic power of the catalytic agent. After a certain use, the upper part of the wick, impregnated with the residuents of the volatile liquid employed as fuel, and

carbonized by the heat, forms a hard mass, preventing the supply of the fuel, by capillarity, near the catalytic heating unit. Consequently, the starting of the operation of the apparatus presents notable difficulties and likewise, an important reduction of the.

calorific power is observed, due to the insufiiciency of often a disagreeable smell, because certain parts of the catalytic mass are not maintained at a temperature necessary to the production of the catalytic action.

Further, it occur; frequently that the wick, in consequence of a certain shrinkage.

of the absorbentmaterial, such as cottonwool, resulting from the successive moistenings with volatile liquid employed as fuel, ensures no longer suitable feeding, because its contact with the surrounding absorbent material is not suflicient.

The object of the present invention, is to provide a wick for catalytic heating apparatus, obviating the inconveniences mentioned above. To this effect, a single wick is employed which is disposed in a hollow cylinder of large diameter mounted on a metallic net or armature with coarse meshes. Said armature bears at its upper end a fitting cap the border of which forms a screen protecting the upper edge of the wick against injurious 40 heat; Said cap fits on a tube supporting the wick and presenting openings along its periphery.. The heat reflected by the lower face of the catalytic body encounters there-' fore a large surface of the wick formed by The distillation takes place on the whole of this surface which is thus not exposed to slow carboniza- "tion although it is at a great distance from the catalytic body.

According to a further object of the invention. the wick is constituted of two parts. The upper part, which. after along use is invaded by the residuents of the combustible fluid, is removable. It is fixed on the armature or metallic net bv means of distillation, thus producingcatch buttons. -The lower-part is sewed on said armature and projects downwards.

At its lower end said part is cut longitudinally along a plurality of lines. The free projection; thus formed, are bent inwardly. in order to form a flat bottom for the wick and on this bottom a helicoidal Spring bears which is disposed inside of the v armature,- for maintaining said bottom on a. plate of swanskin or flannel, which is spaced from the bottom of the container by interposition of a layer of cotton-wool. Thus an intimate contact is 'ensured between the wick andthe swanskin, and the latter is fed con'"tantly by capillarity by means of the upper layers of absorbent material,

This invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation of the catalytic heating apparatus according to the invention. v

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevation show-- ing the difierent parts forming the wick.

The cylindrical and hollow wick is con-;.80 stituted by two parts, one of these a being removable and theother 0 being fixed, said parts being connected to an armature or metallic ne't (Z, the. first by means of catch buttons I) while the second is sewed on the 8 said first part. -An enlargement. e of the metalllic net d indicates the suitablefposition of the removable part a which is protected against injurious heat of the catalytic body f v by means of the cap 9, fixed on the upper part of the armature d and fitted in the tube It bearing-the wick, said tube presenting peripheral openings or perforations, I

' The fixed part c which is longer than the armature (l is cut longitudinally at its pro jecting parts along a certain number of radial lines. The free projections, z', j, k, Z thus formed,are bent inwardly, in order to Y form layers at the lower end 0f the wick. The lower end of the wick, constituted by said layers ismaintained in contact with the plate of flannel or swanskin m. by means of a helicoidal spring 02, which is arranged between said bottom and an annular restriction 0 of the armature (Z. The ring c0n-- stitutedby a thick plate of swanskin m I has substantially the same diameter as the container ;0' and rests on a first layer of ab sorbent material q, such as cotton-wool." On the ring on are disposed aplurality of layers cotton-wool 4' filling all the container and presenting a central opening for the passage of thewiclc; The volatile liquid employed as fuel is introducedg'in the opening .9 with i filler neck t. The wick which passe's'through 1 the absorli-ent material fitsby its cap' 9 in the form of a screen on thetube h carrying the wick. It is maintained in position by friction and the pressure produced by the 10 catalytic body or heating unit 7.. The helicoidal spring a thus compressed act: under pressure between the flat bottom of the-wick and the ring of s'w'anskin m' which absorbs tallic ring u is soldered. and then riveted, atv

the in terlor of the truncated cone, forming the upper part of the casing. said ring supporting the catalytic body. In this manner an annular chamber is formed, wherein the 2 gases produced by the distillation of the fuel .do not penetrate. v

In order to distribute uniformly the combustible vapor contained in the vapor chamber on the entiresurface of the catalytic body 7, this latter presents a variable thickness, decreasing from the center toward the periphery. i i

A short tube 11 issues at the upper part of the vapor chamber and allows the introduction of a small quantity of fuel. A ring 00 formed by 'a thick sheet of asbestos surrounds the tube It bearing the wick and providedwith openings, absorbs the fuel and the excess of the latter, passes through the 40 opening of the tube, moistening the wick at its upper end. The introduction of the fuel "before the operation of the apparatus accelerates'the' starting by presenting, in prox imityof the catalytic heating unit, a reserve of fuel ready for distillation and further prevents that part ofthe wick not suificiently moistened from being exposed at the action of heat, which would produce its carbonizetion.

to secure by Letters Patent is:

tainer, an absorbing material for fuel filling said container, a vapor chamber above said container, a hollow cylindrical wick disposed between said container and said chamber, an armature formed by a metallic net supporting said wick, a catalytic body covering said vapor chamber, said wick compr sing two superposed parts, one removable and the other sewn on said armature and fed with I "containena What I claim as my mvention, and desire fuel principally at its base by projecting two superposed parts, one removable andthe other sewn on said armature and projecting downwards, the lower end of said latter part being cut along a plurality ofradial lines, the projections thus formed being bent in wurdly in order to form a fiat bottom for the wick; said bottom being in contact with said absorbing material.

In a catalytic heating apparatus, a container, an absorbing material for fuel filling said vapor chamber,.said wick comprising 1' said container, a vapor chamber above said ccntainer, a hollow cylindrical wick disposed between said container and said chamber, an armature formed by a metallic net supporting said wick, a catalytic b ody covering said vapor chamber, said wick comprising two superposed parts, one removable and the other sewn onsaid armature and projecting downwards, a flat bottom for said projecting part, a helicoidal spring disposed inside the armature for maintaining sald bottom in contact with layers of material covering the base of said container and being in contact with the absorbing material.

4. In a catalytic heating apparatus, a container, an absorbing material for fuel filling said container, a vapor chamber above said container, a hollow cylindrical wick disposed between said container and said chamber, an armature formed by a metallic net supporting said wick, and a catalytic body coverin said vapor chamber, the thickness of said catalytic body decreasing from the center to the periphery.

5. In a catalytic heating apparatus, a container, an absorbing material for fuelfilling said container, a vapor chamber above said,

hollow cyllndrlcal wick disposed between said container and sa1d chamber, an

p 1 j'armature formed by a metallic net supportv1. In a' catalytic heating apparatus, a-con ing said wick, a catalytic body covering said vapor chamber, a supplementary opening wherethrough fuel can be introduced. in proximity to the catalytic body, said fuel, when starting the apparatus, moi-stening the upper part .of-the wick and also operating to preserve the latter by preventingcarbon'lzation thereof. F In'witness'whereof I afiix my signature.

' JOSEPH GRITTE. 

